Platform Migration Readiness: A 50-point technical audit checklist for B2B and DTC brands.

Table of Contents

1. Key Highlights
2. Introduction
3. Phase 1: Data Architecture & Integrity Audit
4. Phase 2: SEO & Organic Traffic Preservation
5. Phase 3: Integration & Middleware Logic
6. Phase 4: B2B & Wholesale Complexity
7. Phase 5: Cutover & Rollback Protocols
8. FAQ

Key Highlights

• Data Sanitation First: 60% of migration delays stem from "dirty data." Auditing your SKU architecture and customer schemas before the move is critical.
• The SEO "Safety Net": A migration without a comprehensive 301 redirect map is a revenue death sentence. We outline the exact technical checks to preserve domain authority.
• Integration Stress-Testing: Mapping data flows between ERPs (like NetSuite) and your new commerce layer ensures orders don’t get stuck in middleware limbo.

Introduction

Replatforming is the "open-heart surgery" of the e-commerce world. For B2B and enterprise DTC brands, the risk isn't just a broken image link; it’s lost order history, corrupted customer profiles, and a plummeting conversion rate. Whether you are moving from a legacy monolith (Magento 1, Oracle ATG) to a modern SaaS solution like Shopify Plus or BigCommerce, the success of the project is determined long before the first line of code is written.

At Power Commerce, we have executed high-stakes migrations for brands like Dr. Squatch (75,000+ active subscribers) and Vinyl Me, Please. We know that "readiness" isn't a feeling—it's a measurable state. This 50-point technical audit checklist is designed to expose gaps in your migration strategy before they become emergencies.

Phase 1: Data Architecture & Integrity Audit

Before you move data, you must understand it. Legacy platforms often store data in unstructured formats that break modern APIs.

Product & Catalog Data

• [ ] SKU Normalization: Are all SKUs unique and formatted consistently without illegal characters?
• [ ] Variant Logic Mapping: Does the target platform support your current variant depth (e.g., Size x Color x Material x Fit)?
• [ ] Metafield Audit: Have all custom product attributes (materials, care instructions) been mapped to specific metafields?
• [ ] Inventory Sync Check: Is multi-location inventory data accurate across all warehouses?
• [ ] Digital Asset Export: Are product images/videos accessible via public URL for import tools?

Customer & Order History

• [ ] Password Hashing Compatibility: Can customer passwords be migrated, or is a "Multipass" or account activation campaign required?
• [ ] Historical Order Import: Will legacy orders be imported for reference only, or as active records for returns/reorders?
• [ ] Subscription Token Migration: (Critical for DTC) Are payment tokens compatible with the new subscription gateway (e.g., Recharge)?

Phase 2: SEO & Organic Traffic Preservation

Traffic loss is the #1 fear during replatforming. This section ensures your organic equity survives the move.

• [ ] Crawl Anomaly Check: Run a full site crawl (Screaming Frog) to identify all currently indexed URLs.
• [ ] 301 Redirect Mapping: Create a 1:1 map of Old URL -> New URL. Do not use wildcards for high-value pages.
• [ ] Metadata Transfer: Ensure H1s, Meta Titles, and Descriptions are exported and re-applied to the new pages.
• [ ] Internal Link Audit: Update hard-coded blog links to point to the new URL structure.
• [ ] Canonical Tag Configuration: Verify self-referencing canonicals on the staging site to prevent duplicate content issues.

Phase 3: Integration & Middleware Logic

Your commerce platform does not live in a vacuum. It must talk to your ERP, WMS, and PIM.

• [ ] API Rate Limit Analysis: Does your ERP connector handle the API call volume of the new platform?
• [ ] Field Mapping Document: Create a schema map for Order Object -> ERP Sales Order.
• [ ] Tax Calculation Test: Verify tax nexus configurations in tools like Avalara or Vertex.
• [ ] 3PL Connection Test: Ensure tracking numbers flow back from the WMS to the commerce platform trigger emails.
• [ ] Email Service Provider (ESP) Sync: Verify that customer tags and segments sync correctly to Klaviyo/Omnisend.

Phase 4: B2B & Wholesale Complexity

For B2B merchants, the checkout flow is rarely standard. Validate these complex logic gates.

• [ ] Company Hierarchy Validation: Can the new platform support Parent/Child company account structures?
• [ ] Price List Logic: Test customer-specific price lists (e.g., Gold Tier gets 20% off).
• [ ] Net Terms & POs: Verify that "Pay on Account" checkout options only appear for approved wholesalers.
• [ ] VAT/Tax Exemption: Ensure tax-exempt statuses carry over for qualified B2B buyers.
• [ ] Reorder Functionality: Test "Quick Order" forms and bulk SKU upload tools.

Phase 5: Cutover & Rollback Protocols

The "Go-Live" moment. Hope is not a strategy; checklists are.

• [ ] DNS TTL Reduction: Lower Time-To-Live settings 24 hours before launch to ensure fast propagation.
• [ ] Payment Gateway Sandbox Mode: Switch from Test to Live mode and run a real transaction.
• [ ] Email Domain Authentication: Verify SPF/DKIM records so transactional emails don’t hit spam.
• [ ] Analytics Data Layer: Verify GA4 and GTM triggers are firing on the new checkout.
• [ ] The "Kill Switch": Establish a clear Rollback Plan—if X fails, do we revert to the old site?

FAQ

How long does a data migration audit take?

A comprehensive data audit typically takes 2-4 weeks depending on the complexity of your legacy database and the cleanliness of your data.

Can we migrate blog comments and reviews?

Yes, tools like Yotpo or Okendo allow for the import of review CSVs, and blog comments can often be migrated via API or third-party apps.

What happens to customer passwords during migration?

Most platforms cannot migrate encrypted passwords. We typically recommend an "Account Activation" campaign where customers are invited to reset their password on the new site.

Do we need to migrate 10 years of order history?

Not always. We recommend migrating "Active" data (last 2-3 years) for returns/reorders and archiving older data in a Data Lake or ERP to keep the new store performant.

Don't guess. Audit. Is your team ready for the switch? Power Commerce offers deep-dive technical discovery to validate your migration roadmap before you spend a dollar on development. Book your migration consultation.